WOD 091101

Advanced:

Squat Snatch 3-3-3-3-3-3

Intermediate:

Hang Power Snatch 3-3-3-3-3-3

Beginner:

Snatch High Pull 3-3-3-3-3-3

Post loads to comments

Halloween Party today, 8PM at Robin's: text 510.910.2919 for details and/or directions.

WOD 091031

Press 5-5-5-5-5

Post loads to comments.

Halloween Party tomorrow, 8PM at Robin's: text 510.910.2919 for details and/or directions.

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WOD 091030

Advanced/Intermediate

100 Double-Unders
25 Squats
75 Double-unders
50 Squats
50 Double-Unders
75 Squats
25 Double-Unders
100 Squats

Beginner

100 Single-Unders
25 Jump Squats
75 Single-unders
50 Jump Squats
50 Single-Unders
75 Jump Squats
25 Single-Unders
100 Jump Squats

Post time to comments.

Central Coast Connection: Jacob Tyspkin of CrossFit Monterey/Evolve Your Fitness

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For Time:

3 Rounds:

Advanced

21 C2B Pull-Ups
15 Deadlift 225/155
9 HSPU

Intermediate:

3 Rounds:

21 Pull-Ups
15 Deadlift 185/135
9 Push-ups

Beginner:

3 Rounds:

21 Jumping Pull-Ups
15 KB SDHP 1.5/1.0P
9 Push-ups

Post time to comments

WOD 091028

Advanced:

"Nancy"

5 Rounds for time;

Run 400 meters
15 OHS 95/65

Intermediate:

5 Rounds for time;

Run 400 meters
15 Front Squat 95/65

Beginner:

5 Rounds for time;

Run 400 meters
15 Kettlebell Front Squat 1.5/1.0P

Man, I love breakfast.  I'd eat it all day if I thought I could get away with it.  I generally start looking forward to breakfast just after dinner the night before.  So imagine my relief when I discovered that breakfast is just about the easiest meal to make in zone proportions.  Here are two of our favorite quick-and-easy recipes we've spent the last few weeks honing to perfection.  Enjoy!

Four-block scrambled eggs, toast and fruit

3 eggs
1 oz grated cheese (monterey or colby)
2 slices sprouted flax bread from TJ's (15g carbs for two slices!)
1 apple (or any 2 blocks of fruit)
1.3 tsp butter

Scramble the eggs with the cheese in a little bit of butter, saving the rest of the butter for the toast.  Quarter and core the apple.

Three blocks of the best damn oatmeal, ever

Rebecca cannot get enough of this one.

3 blocks oatmeal (1/2c rolled or 1/4c steel cut), cooked with water
1/2c cottage cheese
1 slice bacon, fried crispy
1 tsp butter

Make the oatmeal per the instructions on the package.  Melt the butter into the hot oatmeal.  Chop the bacon into small bits and stir into the oatmeal with the cottage cheese.  Make little noises of appreciation and do a little happy dance in your chair.

If you want to make it four blocks, add a block of fruit, 1/4c cottage cheese or another slice of bacon and a little more butter (or cut back on the butter and use walnuts instead).

630PM

Piedmont High Track.

Track WOD with Boss Arce AKA Princess Raindrop, rain or shine!

800x2

50m x 3 (1 min rest in between)
100m x 2 (2 min rest in between)
150m x 2 (2 min rest in between)
200m x 2 (3 min rest in between)
300m x 2 (3 min rest in between)
400m x 2 (5 min rest in between)

Please bring a jump rope if you have it as well as a watch with a timer.

Post split times to comments.

CrossFit Sweat Shop Masters Event

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WOD 091025

Advanced:

Squat Snatch 3-3-3-3-3-3

Intermediate:

Hang Power Snatch 3-3-3-3-3-3

Beginner:

15-12-9

Kettlebell Snatch Left 1.0/.75P
Kettlebell Snatch Right 1.0/.75P
Burpee

091024

10AM

The CrossFit Sweat Shop Masters Event

Come cheer for Max and any other old coots who step up to represent CFEB.

Directions from Ironworks (about a 20 minute drive): CrossFit Sweat Shop - 1401 Autocenter Dr., Walnut Creek, CA 94597

11AM & Noon @ BIW (led by Daniel):

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Kettlebell Swing (2P/1.5P)
Chest-to-bar Pullup

East Coast Connection: Jay Ashman

Team WOD 091023

In teams of 2 or 3

Run One Mile

30 Box Jumps 24/20
30 Muscle-Ups (or 120 pull-ups + 120 dips)
30 Handstand Push-Ups
30 Back Squat 135/185
30 Deadlift 135/185
30 Push-Press 95/65
30 Thruster 95/65
30 Kettlebell Swings 2.0/1.5P
30 Burpees
30 Double-Unders

Run One Mile

Partition the movements as needed. Athletes may assist each other with movements, as long as they work through the full range of motion. Start and finish with a team mile run.

Thursday 091022

Five rounds for time of:
135 pound Hang squat clean, 15 reps
30 Push-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060131.

Enlarge image

Kern County Sheriff SWAT

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CrossFit Kids:Teaching the Deadlift by CrossFit Again Faster, CrossFit Journal Preview - video [wmv] [mov]

Wednesday 091021

Four rounds for time of:
Walking lunge 50 meters
Sit-ups, 50 reps

Post time to comments.

Compare to 040513.

Enlarge image

Slick Rock, Moab, Utah

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CrossFit Kids Certification Highlights, CrossFit Journal Preview - video [wmv] [mov]

630PM

Piedmont High Track.

Track WOD with Boss Arce AKA Princess Raindrop, rain or shine!

Run 1600 Meters

Run 800 Meters X 2

Sandbag Relay 200 Meter Splits

We need a volunteer to get two 25# sandbags from GWPC: please let me know, so I can inform staff

Post split times to comments.

So far, my dispatches from my Zone Diet experiment have been, I would say, quite positive.  I have observed good results in myself and others, and learned some valuable takeaways.  This week I want to touch on what I would consider the dark side of the Zone, and one of the main reasons I stayed away for so long:  it can be a mental trap.

I blame the numbers.  You've got blocks, grams, ounces and pounds, "activity levels," percentages of macronutrients and bodyfat, weighing, measuring, calculating - it gets very absorbing.  Annoying, at times, yes, but also very engrossing.  It is for this reason that I would never recommend the Zone to anyone with a history of eating disorders:  paying so much attention to the minutiae of what you eat and when you eat can veer alarmingly close to OCD at times.  It has a tendency to spin people off in the wrong direction.

A lot of folks have been coming up to me with math questions.  I find this pretty amusing, considering the relationship I've always had with math.  They want to know what their activity factor is, how many blocks I think they should be eating in light of their goals, etc.  I certainly don't mind the questions, and I'll answer to the best of my ability, but I want to be sure we always have our eyes on the REAL prize:  athletic performance.

The numbers you need to watch

You see, in my mind all these formulae, all this zoning, should just be tools to be used in furthering  athletic goals.  The best mantra I've learned in all of this is simply this:  Let your performance be your guide.  Because getting caught up in all the dietary stuff for the sake of body image is a chump's game with no way of winning.  Scales are unreliable, and bodyfat calculators even more so - and even if you have the "real" number, it's meaningless!  You could be in all the "right" places by those measurements and still be totally unhealthy, sickly or weak.

But if you focus on the numbers in your workouts, the body just takes care of itself.  Show me someone with a 2x bodyweight deadlift and a sub-six mile, and I'll show you someone who looks good naked.  And I don't care what your morphology is: if you can turn in a 300+ FGB and a Fran in under 5 minutes, you're hot.

So by all means, follow the Zone or whatever diet works best for you, but let your diet serve your body - and not the other way around.

This week's recipe:  the five-block salad

I don't do it as often as I did before the Zone, but I'm still Intermittent Fasting a couple days a week.  It's a lot trickier on the Zone, as it can be tough to fit 16 blocks into 8 hours, particularly around a work schedule.  I make this salad as my breakfast on Fridays, when I don't eat until around 1pm or so, and it's a great, very filling meal - I look forward to it every week.

Ingredients:

• Half a package TJ's organic baby spinach (about 3 cups)
• 1 can Tongol tuna (4.5oz)
• 0.5oz feta cheese
  
• 1 apple, diced
  
• 1 rib celery, sliced
  
• 1 green onion, sliced
  
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp salad dressing
• 2 blocks of fruit on the side

Lay down a bed of the spinach on a large plate, and sprinkle on salad dressing and feta.  In a separate bowl, combine tuna, mayonnaise, apple, celery and green onion.  Pile on top of the salad.  Enjoy!

Andrea, Brooke and Polly compete at Bad Girl Open

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Social Climbing at BIW 6-9PM.

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.

Bad Girl Open.   good girls tone.  bad girls lift.

home  •  entry form   •  directions  •  watch live video

DIRECTIONS FROM IRONWORKS

Polly lifts at 1PM, Brooke lifts at 4PM

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WOD 091018

11AM & Noon

Fun with strongman training:

Choose as many of the following as you can complete in one or two hours with plenty of rest in between:

Tire Flip 550# 10-10-10
Tire Fip 500# 10-10-10
Tire Flip 300# 10-10-10
Tire Fip 200# 10-10-10

Backwards sled drag, 50 feet, any weight from 135-505#+ 3 rounds
Pull-Through sled drag, 50 feet, any weight from 135-505#+ 3 rounds

Farmers walk, 100 feet, any weight from 90-450#+ 3 rounds (or use Kettlebells)

Atlas stone lifts 240#

Appolon's Axle Cleans, Snatches, Reverse Curls, etc 3-8 reps, 3 sets

Rolling Thunder Deadlifts, 1RM attempts

One arm barbell snatch & press 1RM attemps

Turkish Get-Ups 1RM attempts

KB Snatch max rep attempts up to 2.25P
KB Swing max rep attempts up to 2.25P

ETC - If you have ideas or toys, bring em'

Feel free to come for the entire two hours, but we have to end on time, so I can make it to the Bad Girl Open.

Brandon gets his muscle-up. Sorry about the production values!

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CWOD 091017

Hang Snatch & Overhead Squat 7-7-7

Hang Clean & Push-Press 3-3-3

Post loads to comments.

091016 Team WOD:

In two teams:

Each team will pick one card from The Hopper Deck for each athlete present, plus two additional cards (limit strength WODs and WODs without fixed reps will be thrown out and a new card picked).

Each team will perform the entire volume in any order they desire. WODs can be done as designed, broken up or combined.

Each team will have access to 1/2 of the available equipment, regardless of the draw. The squat rack will not be used.

Each team will have five minutes from the time the volume is collated to plan: the WOD will then begin, ready or not.

Another of the original six "girls".

WOD 091015

"Elizabeth"

21-15-9

Hang Clean 135/95
Ring Dips

Post time to comments.

CrossFit Masters Event

DATE: October 24, 2009

LOCATION: CrossFit Sweat Shop - 1401 Autocenter Dr. Walnut Creek, CA 94597 map

MORE: See website for details and registration.

WOD 091014

We will be doing some classic WODS this week: here is the very first posted "Girl" from 030907

"Chelsea"

Set up before a clock, and every minute, on the minute, perform 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats.

Can you continue for thirty minutes? Twenty? How about 10? Post results to comments.

We last saw this workout August 3rd, and it will be making repeated, irregular, appearances in the "Workout of the Day." This and other "benchmark" workouts will be readily distinguished from other Workouts of the Day by their being given, in each instance, a female name. This is "Chelsea." The benchmark series - there will be many - will serve to measure your performance and improvements.

If on last tackling "Chelsea" you went the full thirty minutes, try this time 6 pull-ups, 11 push-ups, and 16 squats, and if successful, add one rep to each exercise each time "Chelsea" appears.

Your September, 2003 CrossFit Journal details the benchmark workout concept and introduces the first six "girls:" Angie, Barbara, Chelsea, Diane, Elizabeth, and Fran.

Cancelled due to "flooding" and "high winds"

Meet GWPC for treadmill WOD with Shane if you wish.

6PM

Piedmont High Track

Secret Track WOD with Boss Arce Princess Raindrop, rain or shine!

So here we are, nearly two weeks in.  How are you doing with the diet?  Still waffling?  Just so you know:  waffles aren't part of a healthy zone diet.  How about those of you that have joined in?  From the conversations I've been having this week, it seems those who are doing it are seeing favorable results from their efforts, and some of the rockiness of the first week has evened out somewhat.

We had our first non-proportioned (ie, "cheat") meal at Alex & Rebecca's the other night - it was amazingly delicious (thanks again, guys), but as I was wolfing down my third helping of jambalaya, I was thinking to myself:  yeah, I'm not measuring it, but it's not that far off, really:  a sensible dose of protein and fat surrounded by a healthy variety of natural carbohydrates.  I mean, when the unhealthiest thing on your table is rice, you're in pretty damn good shape.

And that's the takeaway I'm developing so far with this month's little adventure:  balance.  I don't know if I'll keep weighing and measuring after October (I suspect I will, as I'm liking where this is going), but the diet so far has taught me nothing if not this:  carbohydrates can be a good thing, as long as you get most of them from fruits and vegetables and scale back your protein and fats accordingly.

It was a good week for me, workout-wise.  Yeah, the 115# thrusters on Wednesday were a disaster, but thrusters always are and I feel like I did really well on everything leading up to them.  Although my strength levels seem to be more or less the same, my mood and met-con performance have noticeably improved.  I feel like I made real strides in both double-unders and chest-to-bar pullups.  My weight has stayed pretty flat so far, but if I wanted to lose or gain, it would be a simple thing to just drop or add a block.  I've been sore, but not uncomfortably so.  One odd side effect seems to be an increased sensitivity to caffeine - Rebecca and I both had some unusual reactions to coffee recently.  I'm curious to see if this week brings anything new.

What about you?


Zone Recipe:  Butternut Squash Curry

Here's a tasty fall recipe that makes exactly 15 blocks - portion it out evenly and you've got five convenient 3-block meals.

• 15 oz meat of your choice (I used one of those Trader Joe's "Just Chicken" packs)
• 4 cups butternut squash (1 medium), either diced raw or pre-roasted and spooned out
  
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 2 large carrots, diced
  
• 1 parsnip, 9" or so, diced
  
• 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil
• 1 can lite coconut milk
• 2 tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• Cilantro or parsley to garnish (optional)
  

You can really use any combination of squash, pumpkin, yams, parsnips, carrots or other winter root vegetables you want (I'd avoid potatoes), just consult the block charts to get to 14 blocks (the onion is the 15th).  This is just what I used this week.

Whisk the curry paste and coconut milk together and set aside.

In a fairly large saucepan, heat the oil and add the onions.  Saute over medium heat until the onions are soft.  Add the garlic and stir until just fragrant, then pour in the coconut milk and fish sauce.  Bring to a simmer, then add all the veggies and stir.  Cover the saucepan, turn the heat to low, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not mushy (unless you like 'em that way).  Add your pre-cooked meat and let simmer for a couple more minutes to heat, then remove from stove, portion out and serve!

Social Climbing at GWPC 6-9PM.

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.

CANCELED DUE TO POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS: BLUE ANGELS ARE NOT LIKELY TO FLY!

Blue Angels Schedule

Directions: if you look at this map, to the right of Chrissy Field is a little spit of land by the boat club that goes out into the water. If you go out to the very end by the wave organ, one of the Angels uses this spot as a landmark, and turns to go straight overhead. You will be in the jet wash, feel the ground shake, and be as close as it is possible to get without being in the plane.

As it happens it is exactly 5K from Embarcadero BART to this spot via Columbus.

Interested parties meet at Embarcadero BART at 2PM, SUNDAY to run the 5K and watch the Angels.

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As Many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

5 C2B Pull-Ups
10 2.0/1.5P Kettlebell Swings
15 Push-Ups

Post rounds completed to comments.

Post time to comments.

WOD 091010

Via CrossFit Santa Cruz Central

Press 5-5-5-5-5

Push-Press 3-3-3-3-3

Push-Jerk 1-1-1-1-1

Post Loads to Comments

Blue Angels Schedule

Directions: if you look at this map, to the right of Chrissy Field is a little spit of land by the boat club that goes out into the water. If you go out to the very end by the wave organ, one of the Angels uses this spot as a landmark, and turns to go straight overhead. You will be in the jet wash, feel the ground shake, and be as close as it is possible to get without being in the plane.

As it happens it is exactly 5K from Embarcadero BART to this spot via Columbus.

Interested parties meet at Embarcadero BART at 2PM, SUNDAY to run the 5K and watch the Angels.

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WOD 091009

Team WOD:

In two teams:

Break up into squads of 3 people.

Each squad must perform the following as a relay:

Row 1500 Meters
Run 1200 Meters
75 Pull-Ups
75 Push-Ups
75 Jump Squats
75 Burpees
75 KB swing 2.0/1.5P
75 Wall-Ball 20/14 Pounds
75 Ground-To-Overhead 75/55
75 Front Squat 75/55

- Each athlete may only perform each movement once.
- Only one squad may do an event at one time: another squad cannot start the event before the currently performing squad is finished.
- There are no additional rules.

- In the event there are an uneven number of athletes, one person will be designated as the floater, alternating between groups, attach to a squad and row 10X500 meters, starting when the squad has finished 2/3 of the work.

- In the event there are an even number of athletes but each team has one extra person, those persons will attach to a squad and run 10X400 meters, starting when the squad has finished 2/3 of the work.

-In the event there are an even number of athletes but each team has two extra persons, each team will form one squad of two persons who will do 2/3 of the work per event.

Nathan down under at Darwin CrossFit (Australia)

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WOD 091008

5 rounds:

5 Deadlift 275/185
10 Burpees

Post time to comments.

This will be run in heats of 8. Row 500M for PR while you wait, or after you finish.

Russian training:

Top 3x Push Press @ 200kg (441#)
Bottom: 55 kipping pull-up @ BW 260#

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WOD 091007

100 double-unders
25 burpees
75 double-unders
25 KB swing 2.0/1.5P
50 double-unders
25 dead-hang pull-ups
25 double-unders
25 Thruster 115/75

Post time to comments

OK, nearly a week into the October Zone challenge, Rebecca and I have learned an awful lot.  If you've joined us, I would love to hear your stories and any tips or tricks you may have picked up.  If you're sitting on the fence, I encourage you to try it:  it's really not as difficult as it sounds!  Here are some of my observations:

Performance.  I have not seen a noticeable performance increase, but it's only been a week.  What I have seen, and saw almost immediately, is a big jump in energy and attitude.  For months now, I've been fighting a tired feeling of dread at the start of workouts - I'd set out on the warmup run and immediately begin a mental argument that would go something like this:  "I feel crappy.  Maybe I'll take it easy today.  No, that's stupid:  I won't get any better if I don't push" etc., etc.  The Zone has cleared that feeling like a bad fog.  On my first day, I realized halfway through a two-mile run that I was actually enjoying myself, feeling fit and pushing my body to see what it could do.

The obvious answer for this is the increase in carbohydrates - my diet has typically been very low-carb (under 100g) modified paleo, and I suspect it was putting me in a state of permanent bonk.  Gita is no doubt laughing at me by now, but I have to concede that more-than-doubling my carbohydrates has indeed increased my supply of ready glycogen, which translates to more energy.  While that may not translate to better performance immediately, I can only think that it will allow me to attack workouts with greater intensity, and thereby reap a greater benefit.  I'd be curious to hear about this from somebody coming to the Zone from the other side (ie, a typical high-carb, low-fat diet).  I'm also very curious to see if gain, lose or stay even eating this way.

The weighing and measuring has been a bit of a pain, but quickly gets better as you get used to it.  We also tend to eat the same foods a lot, so you learn what's what and gravitate to those things that are easy (ie, TJ's makes some chicken sausages that are exactly 3 blocks of protein each).  We've also been making large meals in the proper proportions, then dividing them up into 3 and 4 block tupperwares for leftovers, which makes lunches really easy.

The carbs have been the trickiest part.  Four blocks of broccoli or raw spinach is an INSANE amount of food - far more than can be reasonably eaten in a sitting - so we've been seeking out the denser favorable carbs.  Thank goodness for yams and beans.  That there are people out there who do both Zone and strict Paleo boggles my mind:  they must spend two hours each day simply eating.

Anyway, there are some personal observations after a week.  Are you doing it to?  What have you discovered?  Still hesitating?  Come on in - the water's fine.

Here are a couple of the more successful recipes we've found this week:

Dinner: Sausage, Spinach & Sweet Potatoes (SUPER easy 3-block meal)

• TJ's Pesto or Andouille chicken sausages (3P blocks each)
• Bag of TJ's organic spinach (1C block)
  
• Half a 5-6" yam (2C block)
• 1 clove garlic (optional)
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• 0.5 Tbsp olive oil
• a little butter for the yam

I like to buy a few pounds of yams and roast them in the oven all at once (an hour at 350), then put them in the refrigerator and reheat individually as needed - I just think the texture is better this way.  But you can easily microwave them too:  puncture with a fork and put in microwave on high for 5 minutes, turning over halfway through.  Put a little pat of butter on it and mix with a fork.  Maybe sprinkle some pepper or some cinnamon on top.  Yum.

Cut the sausage(s) and saute in a large skillet in the olive oil until lightly browned.  Empty the bag of spinach over them, lower the heat to medium and cover for 2 minutes or until the spinach is soft and wilted.  Stir to mix.  Add crushed garlic and stir just until fragrant, and remove from heat.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with the yam.

Need 4 blocks?  Serve with a cup of cold milk.

Snack:  Cottage cheese and fruit (2 blocks)

• 1/2c cottage cheese
  
• 3/4c applesauce OR 2 diced peaches OR 5 dried apricots OR use your imagination
  
• 18 slivered almonds (if you don't feel like counting, just two small spoonfuls)
• sprinkle liberally with cinnamon

Just stir it all together in a bowl.  We love this, and have it just about every day.  Easily transportable.  Goes great with coffee.

New CFEB Policy:

Effective immediately, strict form standards will be required on ME (max effort) workouts. Heavy lifts at the expense of bad form will no longer be tolerated. We will use weights that allow at least fair form, and no glaring discrepancies will be allowed. For those who cannot do the required form, a progression will be given. The arbitrageurs of proper form will be Daniel Olmstead and Me. The only exception will be true 1RM PR attempts by experienced (2 years+) athletes.

6PM

Track Run, Clark Kerr, Hosted by Boss Arce

Warmup jog for 10-15 minutes, then drills.

800 meters, 45 sec rest
2x400 meters, 30 sec rest in between (faster pace than 800)
600 meters, 45 sec rest
2x300 meters, 30 sec rest in between (faster pace than 600)
400 meters, 45 sec rest
4x200 meters, 30 sec rest (faster pace than 400)

Sage Burgener

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Social Climbing at BIW 6-9PM.

Come climb with the CFEB crew. If you don't know how this is a great opportunity to learn to top-rope: you don't need to own equipment, but there is a nominal fee for harness and shoe rental.

Post routes completed or attempted to comments.

WOD 090903

21-10-5-5-3-1 Overhead Squat

Post loads to comments.

WOD 091002

Team WOD: "Mutts Vs. Jeffs";

Athletes will line up by height in two separate groups, male and female. Tallest athletes from each gender group will form one team, shortest athletes from each gender group will form the other team.

For time:

In two teams:

10K of running per team
300 GI Janes per team
300 95/65 ground-to-overhead per team
300 95/65 squat cleans per team
300 push-ups per team
300 Wall-Ball 20/14 per team

For each person per team over 10, add 400 meters of running, plus 30 reps per movement.

Rules of the game: each person must do at least 10 of each movement, plus 200 M of running.

Post thoughts on training for CrossFit Games 2010 to comments.